Archives

Search:

I hope you’re all in good spirits, and have enjoyed the holidays. I’m working a lot and writing a lot these days, which keeps me busy and happy, and Christmas was lovely with my kids. They left a few days ago, and I went back to work.

Today, New Year’s Eve, is just one of those days I’m not that crazy about, some holidays are just harder than others. Holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are hard for some, particularly if one is alone, it helps to have children and a big family around you. And then there are some other holidays that are just lousy if you’re alone. New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day are just not a lot of fun if you’re single, and not dating anyone. In truth, my best New Year’s Eves were when I was married, we didn’t care about New Year’s Eve, we watched old movies on TV and ate popcorn, and were asleep long before midnight. That was fine with me!! Best New Year’s Eves ever, in pajamas, no fuss, no muss, no parties, tucked up in bed with someone you love (WITH popcorn!!).

Then there was a phase where we gave big parties on New Year’s Eve. That worked, it was fun (although I preferred the pajama years). When I was very young, I would go to parties on New Year’s eve, but since I don’t drink, everyone was blind drunk and I wasn’t, and I would then be scared to death that my drunken date would kill us in the car on the way home (not fun, when I got older, I got smarter, and refused to be driven by a drunk, eventually, I just stayed home). After the big parties we gave, I was divorced and continued to give them, and watched everyone dancing and kissing at midnight and was the odd man out (while pretending I was having a great time), and after the party I’d go upstairs to my room and cry. (erghk/dismal, definitely not fun). Then I switched it to fancy dinner parties on New Year’s Eve, so I didn’t have to watch them dancing. That was okay, but not that great either, I still had to get through the kissing part while I watched politely. Then I came up with a new idea: poker parties on New Year’s Eve, which I loved, and would make about $20., no one kissed, they smoked, ate pizza and drank, and if they drank enough, I won more. I did that for a number of years quite happily, but got tired of it, and then gave small dinner parties with friends, but once again you can’t get around the kissing part on New Year’s Eve, where they do, and I don’t, if I’m alone. And at last, I finally gave up, and decided a few years ago that the best way to get through New Year’s Eve for me, was to work on a book, where I don’t even know what day or time it is when I’m writing. It was the best solution I know to get around being single on New Year’s, with no one to kiss at midnight. When I write, everything disappears except the book, and I’m lost in the story. So, there it is, writing on New Year’s Eve avoids the drunk driver problem, the not having a date problem, and the kissing problem. There is no one kissing in my office at midnight when I’m writing—-except the characters in my book. it doesn’t make for a glamourous New Year’s Eve, I don’t have to wear a fabulous dress, my hair is usually a mess when I’m writing, and I’m in a comfy nighty and a sweater. I still prefer the pajamas and popcorn nights, and the poker nights were pretty good, but for those of us who are dateless on New Year’s Eve, writing my way through them works for me. So, if you’re on your own tonight, I hope you found an equally effective solution. Maybe a box of chocolates and a favorite movie??? It’s only one day a year and it really doesn’t matter. By tomorrow, everyone will have a dreadful hang over, and maybe didn’t have such a great time. So happy new year, no maudlin songs or emails, and much more importantly, I send you all my good wishes and best thoughts for a FABULOUS FANTASTIC PRODUCTIVE HEALTHY HAPPY NEW YEAR AHEAD!!!

and all my love, Danielle

Share this:

Leave a Comment

If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.

Name (required)

Email (required)

Comments

12 Comments so far

Stella December 31, 2018
4:39 pm

Happy New Year!

Rob Scott December 31, 2018
7:51 pm

Hmmmm

Spending New Years doing what you love in your own home.

Sounds like happiness.

Amen.

FABULOUS FANTASTIC PRODUCTIVE HEALTHY HAPPY NEW YEAR AHEAD!!! -And Back at you

Happy New Year, Danielle.

IP December 31, 2018
9:59 pm

Happy New Year, Danielle! Means so much you sharing this and being so honest, so open. There are times when people feel alone in the crowd and perfectly happy by themselves. Wish I could be a friend to someone like you – we would have much in common. Have a very happy 2019!

Bonnie January 1, 2019
5:47 pm

While you were writing a new book on New Year’s Eve, I was reading one of your older books. Thank you for providing me with an enjoyable evening. As a widow living in a Senior Community, we need to celebrate early… 2:00 PM ??? At 3:00 PM we sang Auld Lang Syne, then came that awkward moment. There was no kissing and only GENTILE hugs. Balance is a BIG problem for Seniors so we have to be careful not to tip over each other. We have to learn to laugh at our short comings, but of course, our best memories return to the time when we were together with our husbands and children. NEW YEAR BLESSINGS !!!

Bonnie January 1, 2019
6:02 pm

If you wondering what “GENTILE”hugs are…then let me apologize for my misspelling. I meant to write “GENTLE” hugs. Another Senior Citizen shortcoming is spelling correctly. Sorry.

Jun January 2, 2019
6:14 am

Since I am divorced and was alone this year on New Year’s Eve, I was reading your book like crazy 😉

And today is the 2nd I finished one book today again. Good way to lose weight? Because when you are watching TV you can snack but when you’re reading you have to hold the book with both hands so you don’t eat snacks as much😆

Jay January 2, 2019
5:39 pm

Happy New Year, Miss Danielle, and thank you for once again bringing my life encouragement big deal, to continue pursuing a great joy and love in my writing, as well as in having lots of fun and learning very touching moments and blessings of life and love and all the rest, all the while I read your works. I used to enjoy writing poetry, and am now kind of toying with the thought of bringing to life wonderful short stories dancing in my head and delight me no end. Nice to hear from you, as always, and here’s to my warmest regards and thoughts to you and your loved ones. Thank you so much, from my heart to yours. God bless you all! 🙂

Barbara January 3, 2019
8:16 pm

I just finished re-reading The Promise for the hundredth time! Thank you again for making me feel good! Happy New Year!

Barb Smith January 5, 2019
11:59 am

I received the book In His Father’s Footsteps for Christmas. It is the best. I can picture everything that is happening. I have a collection of your books

Anna-Maria January 6, 2019
2:03 am

Dear Danielle,

I wish you a happy, healthy and very productive New Year! You are my favourite writer, I have read almost all of your books (my mother loves them too) and I admire you as a writer very much! I have a question, and I hope you can answer it maybe as a part of an entry on your blog: In your interviews I have never read or heard you saying that you do any kind of sports, and in one interview you also admit that you only go occasionally for walks, that you would rather write instead. I am an aspiring writer (I am from Germany) and hate sports, and I would also rather spend my time writing than go for walks, but they are unfortunately necessary because after writing for many hours every day, my back hurts very much (and I’m only 36). And I don’t write more than 8 hours a day; you say that you write 20 or more hours, so I was curious if your back also hurts and if you do any kind of sports (like jogging, pilates, yoga etc.) to build back muscles (like my doctor recommended me).

Just like you, I am not a big eater, and since I hardly eat meat (I’m not a vegetarian, I just don’t like meat) and eat more cookies than healthy food, my doctor prescribed me many supplements (iron, vitamin B12 etc.), and since I spend more time inside than outside, also Vitamin D because my blood levels are so low. So I have to take all these supplements (and they are many) regularly to compensate for not eating healthy and spending more time outside. I was wondering if you also take (or used to take) any supplements and which ones. It would be nice if you could write an entry on this topic, it would be very interesting. Thank you very much and I send you greetings from Germany!

Anna-Maria

eula schmidt January 7, 2019
3:28 am

I have collected and read your books for as long as I can remember, I recently moved and my husband made me a huge book shelf, I printed out a list of all your work and have been in the process of making sure I had all of your collection, in going though my inventory I came across a book I had a note on from year ago about missing pages, I had completely forgotten about it, at the time I didn’t care if it was missing pages or not, it was one of your works and I wanted it, but now in organizing my collection I was wondering if a reprint was ever done with the correct pages. The book is “The Gift” and my copy goes to page 112, then the next page is 65-88, then picks up at page 137. SO my copy is missing 113-136, would like to be able to get a corrected version if possible.

Eula Schmidt
Oregon,Illiois

Lorraine January 12, 2019
11:23 am

Happy New Year Danielle…It sounds like your life is so rich and fulfilling….I like your N.Y.E schedule…as you say, it’s just another evening…..In my 60s, just started dating a lovely man, and yet I babysat this New Year’s Eve, as I usually do…it wasn’t a big deal not being with him….just turn on the Times Square in NY New Year’s Eve celebration, and everyone will be glad to be home and cozy in their homes….who could possibly enjoy standing out there, barely anything to eat, NO bathrooms, yikes, crowds everywhere, for hours on end…and usually cold…that would cure anyone of not wanting to be home on New Years Eve……Love, Lorraine